There were two national Freedom Trains that toured the United States: the 1947–49 special exhibit Freedom Train and the 1975-76 American Freedom Train that celebrated the United States Bicentennial. Each train was composed of seven cars and decorated in red, white and blue and its own itinerary and route around the 48 contiguous states, stopping to display Americana and related historical artifacts.

The 1940s Freedom Train exhibit was integrated — black and white viewers were allowed to mingle freely. When town officials in Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee, refused to allow blacks and whites to see the exhibits at the same time, the Freedom Train skipped the planned visits, amid significant controversy.

The first Freedom Train was proposed in April 1946 by Attorney GeneralTom C. Clark, who believed that Americans had begun taking the principles of liberty for granted in the post-war years. The idea was adopted by a coalition that included Paramount Pictures and the Advertising Council, which had just changed its name from “War Advertising Council”.

The Freedom Train arrived in Lawrence, Massachusetts, at the train station at the corner of Essex Street and Broadway, October 21, 1947 and remained behind the Post Office during its stay. Lawrence was the 26th of 300 cities visited by the freedom Train. At 8:30 in the morning Mayor James P. Meehan and the Freedom Train Committee were given a preview. After that the train was visited by many citizens from the greater Lawrence area.

In response to the Mexican Revolution and the crisis on the Mexican Border caused by increased guerrilla incursions into United States territory in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson dispatched a Regular Army force into Mexico under Gen. John J. Pershing in pursuit of Francisco “Pancho” Villa. At the same time, President Wilson activated the National Guard to secure the Border region in what was the first large-scale deployment of National Guard troops to support Homeland Security and defend against terrorism. Each of the states contributed troops for a deployment period of approximately 90 days (in keeping with the Act of 1903) from 1916-1919.

Lawrence Militia units F and L of the Ninth and Eighth Infantry, respectively, and Battery C of the Field Artillery joined the troops at the Mexican border in June of 1916. They returned in October of the same year, fit and healthy, not a man lost to disease or combat.

The Lawrence Brass Band was organized on February 6, 1849 with Mr. Taft, leader. At that time Lawrence was a mill town 25 miles north of Boston.

Out of eighteen members, in 1861, twelve enlisted in the Union Army; and members were in campaigns in Virginia, the Carolinas, Louisiana, and with Sherman on his grand march. The band continued to entertain Lawrence at concerts, parades, and celebrations until the 2nd decade of the twentieth century.

The Lawrence Brass band is gone, but the tuba is now apart of the Yankee Brass band from upstate New York. Please join us!

The Kane Park is named after John P. Kane, lawyer, officer in the Spanish American War, and mayor of the city. It is located on Osgood Street across fro the South Lawrence East School (formerly the Kane School).

]]>https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/07/05/kane-park-lawrence-ma/feed/1queencitymakaneparkAerial Photographs (Lawrence, MA)https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/aerial-photographs-lawrence-ma-2/
https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/aerial-photographs-lawrence-ma-2/#respondWed, 29 Jun 2016 20:32:37 +0000http://queencityma.wordpress.com/?p=3922]]>These five images are black and white aerial photographs. They are all roughly one meter square. They were professionally digitally scanned in Oct. 2013 and the photographer felt they were contact prints possibly taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Many local people with historical knowledge have looked at the images and felt the photos were taken in the 1950s possibly to help in the construction of Interstates 93 and 495.]]>https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/aerial-photographs-lawrence-ma-2/feed/0queencitymaDemonaco Brothers Square (Lawrence, MA)https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/24/demonaco-brothers-square-lawrence-ma/
https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/24/demonaco-brothers-square-lawrence-ma/#commentsFri, 24 Jun 2016 13:54:11 +0000http://queencityma.wordpress.com/?p=3905]]>

The Demonaco Brothers Memorial Square is located at the intersection of Chestnut and Shorts Streets. There were seven Demonaco brothers who served in World War II: Albert, Carmine, Harold, Henry, Joseph, Pasquale, and Salvatore. The family lived at 125 Chestnut Street. Albert Demonaco was killed in the war.

The Finnocchiaro Bridge is located on East Haverhill Street spanning the Spicket River. It is named after Antonio Finnocchiaro who served in the military during World War I.

]]>https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/finnocchiaro-bridge-lawrence-ma/feed/0queencitymafinnocchiaroNovello Bridge (Lawrence, MA)https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/novello-bridge-lawrence-ma/
https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/novello-bridge-lawrence-ma/#respondThu, 09 Jun 2016 15:22:15 +0000http://queencityma.wordpress.com/?p=3766]]>The Novello Bridge spans the Spicket River at Jackson Street. It is dedicated to Lorenzo Novello. He served in Company H of the 23rd Infantry in World War I. He died of injuries resulting from an accident.]]>https://queencityma.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/novello-bridge-lawrence-ma/feed/0queencitymanovello